We've been hearing rumors about a third Gremlins movie for years, but with so many stops and starts, fans had pretty much given up on the prospect of seeing Gizmo and his not-quite-so adorable pals on the big screen again.
Late last year, Warner Bros. finally announced that Gremlins 3 is officially in development and is set to hit theaters on November 19, 2027.
Steven Spielberg will return as executive producer, and the original movie's writer, Chris Columbus, is on board to direct. Final Destination: Bloodlines duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein will pen the script with Columbus.
Now, scooper Daniel Richtman is reporting that the movie will feature a new female lead, and Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream) has been offered the role. We don't have much more to go on, but there's speculation that this character will be Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate's (Phoebe Cates) daughter.
There's no word on whether any of the original cast members will be back.
“I’m filled with a tremendous surge of inspiration and passion, as I embark on this cinematic journey,” said Columbus in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s an honor to reunite with Steven Spielberg and Warner Bros., as we bring this latest chapter of Gremlins to a brand new generation of moviegoers who will experience all of the thrills of this grand adventure on the big screen”
“Few titles are as beloved and iconic as Gremlins, and we’re beyond excited to bring it back for both lifelong fans and a whole new generation,” said Jesse Ehrman, Warners’ president of development and production. “It’s a privilege to be working alongside Steven (Spielberg), Chris (Columbus), and the entire creative team, and we look forward to audiences experiencing the magic, mayhem, and heart of Gremlins on the big screen in 2027.”
Joe Dante's Gremlins released in 1984, and has gone on to become a pop culture phenomenon. The movie, a fairly dark Christmas-set horror comedy, introduced Gizmo, a cute creature known as a Mogwai who is capable of spawning ferocious green monsters if three very specific rules are not followed: Never get him wet, never expose him to bright light (sunlight will kill him), and never feed him after midnight.
The film was a box office hit, produced for only $11 million and grossing $151 million domestically. A 1990 sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, followed, but the bizarre satire - which has amassed a cult following over the years - only made $41 million at the box office.
A gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for his son and finds one at a store in Chinatown. The shopkeeper is reluctant to sell him the `mogwai' but sells it to him with the warning to never expose him to bright light, water, or to feed him after midnight. All of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve.